1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink jet printer, and more particularly a method for detecting the status of an ink jet printer cartridge.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, when a printer ink cartridge runs out of ink, the user must buy a spare ink cartridge to replace the spent cartridge in order to continue printing. Often, once the old cartridge is replaced, the printer incorrectly identifies the new ink cartridge as the previous one. The misinformed printer utilizes the new cartridge as it would the old already replaced cartridge, and therefore fails to use the new ink cartridge to the end of its lifetime. To avoid this, after replacing an ink cartridge, the printer must be reset to recognize the new ink cartridge.
Exemplars of the practice in the art include four groupings of designs for ink jet printer. A first grouping of these designs use analog sensors. For Example U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,315 for Method and System for Remote-sensing Ink Temperature and Melt-on-Demand Control for a Hot Melt Ink Jet Printer issued to Allent et al., includes thermal sensors which register when a sufficient amount of ink is sufficiently heated to melt ink so that it may be disposed on a recording paper. U.S. Pat. No. 5,631,674 for Recording Apparatus issued to Shinada et al. describes a sensor which includes optical detection of the ink remaining within a reservoir. An alternative embodiment includes a sensor which registers the changing conductivity of the ink to ascertain when an insufficient amount of ink remains in the reservoir.
A second grouping of designs includes cartridges or adaptors provided with memory elements. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,610,635 for Printer Ink Cartridge with Memory Storage Capacity issued to Murray et al., describes a cartridge having a EEPROM and logic element which counts when the driver circuit is energized to heat the element that ejects ink and/or paper. The information on the cartridge is accessible, however not displayed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,344 for Ink Jet Apparatus and Ink Jet Cartridge Therefor issued to Ujita, describes an adaptor having memory thereon. As with the '635 patent, the host computer may access information on the adaptor, however such as not displayed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,365,312 for Arrangement for Printer Equipment for Monitoring Reservoirs That Contain Printing Medium issued to Hillmann et al., describes a reservoir that printer been integrated with a memory circuit which uses a debit card logic. As ink is used, the counter is decremented to a value corresponding till when ink no longer remains in the reservoir. The memories are not reprogrammable even when the reservoir is refilled. U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,898 for Printhead Having Memory Element issued to Arthur et al., describes a cartridge with a memory including identification information. A logic circuit counts the number of ink drops which are ejected from the cartridge installed that in the memory. The cartridge also includes a low-ink dialed alarm.
The third grouping which include programs that count drops or relate graphic data to prescribed ink use therefor. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,068,806 for Method of Determining Useful Life of Cartridge for an Ink Jet Printer issued to Gatten, describes a program which counts the number of dots fired from a cartridge. The reference cautions that the same cartridge must be used to avoid generation of faulty data. U.S. Pat. No. 5,663,750 for Ink Ejection Device With Ink Saving Mode Used When Remaining Ink Amount Ink Amount Is Small issued to Sakuma describes a program which evaluates the bit pattern data of matter to be printed and determines the number of ink dots required to form an image on a recording paper. Although a cartridge detector is used, specific cartridge identity recognition logic is not. Further the design does not provide for displaying the cartridge status, only warning when not enough ink remains. Moreover, this design does not relate to the specific identity of cartridge is used. U.S. Pat. No. 5,414,452 for Recognition of Ink Expire in an Ink Jet Printing Head issued to Accatino et al. includes a somewhat similar program as with the '750 reference, only the operator must reset the counter when a new cartridge is inserted. U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,302 for Self-adjusting Controller for Dot Impact Printer issued to Andou et al. describes a program which counts the pulses that are sent to mechanisms which cause dot wires to fall on a platen. Such information is used to adjust the strike mechanics of the dot wires.
The fourth grouping uses devices that have minimal cartridge identification features. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,032 for System and Method for Informing a User of a Marking Material Status in a Printing Environment issued to Springett includes a program which counts the number of pixels receiving ink and, based on typical coverage rates, estimates the ink needed, counts the ink used and estimates a replacement date. The only display shows the date when the cartridge needs to be replaced. Although the cartridge being used is not specifically identified, the printer does recognize when an ink correct cartridge is in place and prompts the user afer that fact. U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,027 for Printer Having Identifiable Interchangeable Heads issued to Buskird et al. describes a cartridge head including an identification code which a computer controller registers in order to select the appropriate inputs associated with the control of a particular head configuration.
I found that none of the above references teach or suggest a printer that prompts a user to enter cartridge identification information which the printer stores and associates ink status information therewith.